Tips for Planning your Backyard Wedding Reception | LDS Bride Blog

Tips for Planning Your Backyard Wedding Reception

Backyard wedding receptions can be casual events or sophisticated affairs. Holding your wedding reception in a backyard allows you to customize every part of the celebration. It also makes the event more affordable, allowing you to spend more for food or décor. Here are a few tips for planning your backyard wedding reception.

Gauge the Backyard Space

Before scheduling any part of your reception, go over your guest list. It’s important to make sure that the backyard you intend to use for the event is big enough for everyone you want to invite. Confirming that the backyard is set up for the type of reception that you want is also important. For instance, do you want the food to be offered buffet style or plated? If you’re planning a buffet, is there an area for a buffet table? Or, is the backyard large enough for the number of tables you need for a plated dining affair? If you are unsure about the size of your space, talk to a catering or rental company. Most can tell you how much space you need based on the size of your guestlist.

Be Sure to Prepare

When your backyard wedding reception is about 8 weeks away, take some time to prep the space. If you’re planning your wedding for the summer months, the only thing that you’ll need to do is keep the landscaping watered and trimmed. The spring and summer months will also provide most of your reception décor. If you’re holding the big day a little later in the summer, then plan your flowers and foliage with your reception in mind. In this case, you might want to have your colors selected. If you do, then you, or your parents, can purchase annual flowers in your wedding colors.

Choose Your Theme

Whether you want a simple backyard affair or a fancy, elegant design, your theme will guide most of your decorating decisions. Each theme requires different flowers, centerpieces, linens, food choices, chairs and more.

Get a Tent

When it comes to a backyard wedding reception, it’s a good idea to rent a tent. This will help you avoid feeling stressed should adverse weather arise. Not only will it protect you and your guests from less than ideal weather conditions, but it will also provide shelter from the sun or excess wind.

A Reception to Remember

Backyard wedding receptions are always memorable. By planning your wedding celebration in your backyard or that of a family member or a friend, you’ll be able to make it your own. Along with it being easy to customize, backyard wedding receptions are less expensive, and they let you welcome nature into your event.

Click here to get the full love story on the featured couple, Jackie and Pedro!